Lightning Strikes Twice
by Sk8er Chica
Summary: Spring break this year means a trip to the big city of L.A. for the Rocket gang. But when someone gets their feelings hurt, will it make for trouble in paradise? r 'n r Chapter 17 is up!
1. The Invitation

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

A/N: As the title may imply, this fic is a sequel to "Struck by Lightning" and "December Wishes." This story takes place when everyone is older. Otto, Twister, and Sam are fourteen; Reggie is fifteen; Lars is seventeen.

Reviews and feedback appreciated.

* * *

Tick tock, tick tock... 

The seconds crept by on the wall clock in a classroom.

"Come on," said a boy in the back row with unruly auburn dreadlocks, toying with his teal-tinted sunglasses.

"Please..." said the boy next to him, a redhead wearing a backwards baseball cap.

Both were wearing shorts and T-shirts and hanging on the edge of their seats. Otto Rocket and his best friend Maurice aka "Twister" Rodriguez _lived _for spring break. They loved all manner of extreme sports, pastimes school tended to get in the way of. Spring break was a chance to enjoy the outdoors with no interruption.

BRRRIIINNNGGG!

"Freedom!" Otto bellowed, standing up so fast he knocked his chair over.

The students jostled toward the door, sprinting down the halls, and finally pouring onto the sidewalk. To passersby, the chaos resembled the wildebeest stampede scene from _The Lion King_.

Otto met up with his older sister, Reggie, and their friend Sam Dullard.  
Things had changed for the gang over the past few years. Sam had lost some weight, gotten better at extreme sports, and started dating Reggie.  
While Otto and Twister were still no star students, their grades weren't nearly as poor as they'd been. Otto, by the way, had gotten taller, though he remained short for his age.  
Twister, the tallest of them, had grown his hair out and joined the school basketball team.

As much as things had changed, it was very rare to see one of the teens without the others in tow.

"What should we do to kick off spring break?" Reggie asked, strapping on her yellow helmet and placing her skateboard in front of her. "Pig out at the Shack or hit the waves?"

"I vote for the Shack," said Sam eagerly. "I could sure go for some chili fries."

"I say we go to the amusement park and see who can last the most rides on the roller coaster," said Otto.

"Uh, you go ahead," said Twister. "I...kinda got something to do."

"But it's the first hour of vacation!" Otto protested.

Twister was already skateboarding away towards his house on Ozone Street.

0-0-0-0-0-0

When he reached his dad's office, he found that his older brother Lars was on the family computer.

_Probably hitting on girls in a chat room again, _Twister thought.

"Lars, I really need to use the computer," he said.

"I was on first," Lars argued. "Besides, I'm older. Don't worry. I'll let you use it...next week. TA-HAAA-HAAA-HAAA!"

"MOM!" Twister screamed. That approach might be considered immature; nevertheless, it was highly effective.

"Lars, let Maurice use the computer, or you will be grounded for the rest of the week!" Sandy shrieked from a distant corner of the house.

Lars grudgingly stood up, muttering in Spanish under his breath. Twister switched the Internet to his user name, scanning his buddy list. The name LA Lightning jumped out at him. LA Lightning was the screenname of Valencia Lightning, Reggie and Otto's first cousin. Twister had become smitten with her a few years previously; the feeling was mutual. He still wore the gold chili pepper necklace she'd given him one Christmas. Though their relationship was long-distance, they held up well.

Twister started an IM chat.

**twistd-1: i havent heard from you in like forever, sweetness.**

**LA Lightning: I'm sorry, babe. Things have been keeping me tied up lately. ****Well, enough about me. How goes it with you?**

**twistd-1: great. my spring break just started.**

**LA Lightning: Now there's a coincidence. Hey, do you wanna come down to visit? My parents already said it's okay.**

**twistd-1: i can probably talk my mom into it. she and dad are going on a second honeymoon or something so lars will definitely be coming too.**

**LA Lightning: That's not a problem. We'll make the best of it. I can't wait to show you my 'hood.**

**twistd-1: you really are a city slicker arent you?**

**LA Lightning: Yeah, but I'm wild at heart.**

Twister knew what she meant by that. She was half Apache or half Comanche; he couldn't remember which one.

**twistd-1: i better start packing. adios.**

**LA Lightning: (blows kiss)**


	2. Road Trip

A/N: Yeah, I know this has nothing to do with the fic, but I have a fun fact to share. Midnight tonight is the 93rd anniversary of the sinking of the _Titanic_.

* * *

After packing (if you could call upending an entire drawer of clothes into a suitcase packing), Twister called Otto, excitedly telling him about Val's invitation. 

Otto cut him off, sounding grumpy. "I already know. Reggie's been talking it about it all afternoon."

Twister could tell his friend wasn't in much of a talking mood, so he hung up the phone and dialed Sam's number. He asked if Sam would come on the trip to L.A. with them.

"I sure wish I could come," said Sam, sighing into the phone.

"Why can't you?" Twister asked.

"My mom is taking me to visit my grandma in Oregon." Sam explained.

"Don't worry about it, Squid." said Twister. "I'll make a movie of the trip and show it you when you get home."

"Really? Thanks, Twister."

"Maurice!" Twister's dad Raoul said. "Come downstairs. Dinner is getting cold!"

Twister said good-bye, putting the phone back on the cradle. The smell of fish tacos wafted up the stairs. Twister almost tripped over his feet in his hurry to get to the table. By the time he sat down, Lars and Sandy were having a heated argument.

"Mom, I have better things to do than watch Twister and that ugly girlfriend of his make out all week!" The seventeen-year-old sounded ten years younger than he really was.

"Hey, Val's not ugly!" said Twister. "You're just jealous 'cause you can't get a date to save your life."

Lars snarled. "Do you know how dead you are, little bro?"

"Boys, what have I said about fighting with each other at the dinner table?" said Sandy, her tone soft, yet dangerous.

Twister didn't seem to hear her. He had gotten to the age where he no longer allowed himself to be bullied by his older brother. "You haven't even had your first kiss."

"One: that's none of your business," said Lars. "Two: I did so have my first kiss. I had it when I was like seven. Three: I don't need to take this from a shrimp like you." Lars stood up, tossing the napkin that had been on his lap to the floor.

"Lars," said Raoul. "You did not ask to be excused."

"You didn't touch your dinner either," said Sandy.

"I'm not hungry," Lars muttered through clenched teeth.

He stomped out of the kitchen, then went upstairs. Sandy, Raoul, and Twister winced as they heard his bedroom door slam. The rest of dinner passed in shocked silence.

Twister tossed and turned in bed. He was anxious to see Val again. They always had so much fun together. He fell asleep around one in the morning, dreaming about the first time he met Val.

0-0-0-0-0

"OW!" Twister yelped. It felt like his pillow had been yanked from under his head.

The culprit stood over him, arms folded over his chest. "Wake up, you dork. Mom says I have to drive you to L.A."

"Can Otto ride with us?" Twister asked, rubbing his eyes.

"No way! He'll put his filthy sneakers all over the back of my leather seats."

Lars had worked his rear end off at the video rental store to buy a preowned silver Ford Mustang.

"Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They left," said Lars. "And before you ask, I am _not _gonna let you eat in my car. Now get dressed and let's roll."

The hour-long drive up the coast was torturous, especially with Lars trying to sing along with the radio, which was tuned to a punk/heavy metal station. It seemed as though he knew every song that came on. Either to conserve gas or out of spite, Lars also refused to turn on the air conditioner. Twister was almost completely soaked with sweat by the time they reached a beachside community near the south end of Los Angeles.

"Land ho," said Lars, parking the car.


	3. Valencia and Company

A/N: Kudos to Mike and Scott for reviewing. Keep the comments coming.

* * *

"Twister! Twister!" called a voice. 

The redhead felt his jaw drop. Val looked very different than he remembered. Wavy caramel hair flowed to her shoulders. Her broad face was accented by high cheekbones; her tan a light bronze shimmer. Val had sprouted curves, making her figure a textbook hourglass. Long lashes batted in slow motion; a sultry lopsided grin played on her lips. Her attire screamed "tomboy" a little softer than it used to: a pink tank top, denim cargo shorts, and Nike sandals; a shark tooth necklace dangled over her heart.

Twister ran toward the picnic table she was perched atop, then hugged her tightly.

"Man, look at you," she said. "You're even cuter than before."

Lars made a gagging face behind their backs.

"Lemonade?" Val offered, pointing to a moisture-beaded pitcher.

Twister, whose mouth felt very sticky, nodded. He drained the cup Val gave him in one gulp, barely tasting it.

"Long trip?" Val guessed, pouring a refill.

"Not really, but Lars wouldn't turn on the air," said Twister. "I thought I was gonna get heatstroke."

"Ah, get over it, ya wuss," Lars spat.

Twister ignored the remark, concentrating instead on actually tasting the lemonade, which was lemony, yet sweet, with an interesting earthy undertone.

"This tastes awesome. What kind of mix do you use?"

Val gave him a condescending look. "Mix? Don't insult me. It's homemade, but we add lavendar to it for extra zip."

"You put flowers in lemonade?" Lars asked.

"It's not that unusual," said Val. "Especially once you get out near the reservations."

"Don't bother giving me a glass, 'cause I ain't drinking that," said the older Rodriguez brother.

Ray's battered old station wagon appeared at the curb. Reggie and Otto hopped out.

"You guys have a fun week," said Ray. "Behave yourselves."

"We will," Otto assured him with a salute.

Ray turned around toward the highway, tires screeching and the muffler backfiring.

"Y'all are just in time," said Val, doling out another round of lemonade. "I'm having a beach picnic and my whole crew is coming. I know you guys'll get along great."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"I'm going to Val's house," said a short, skinny boy. "I'll see you later."

"Hold it, young man," said Monica Vandenack.

She noticed her son's normally pale cheeks were tinged with pink. His health had been in limbo for a couple of months, so instinctively, she pushed aside the boy's bangs and backwards Dodgers cap to feel his forehead. The lad in a pair of dark blue jeans and a striped T-shirt worked to conceal his impatience. Roderick never liked having to stay still for long.

"You don't seem warm, but..." Monica started. "Have you been taking your medicine?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Remember what the doctor said yesterday..."

Though he was recovering well, the doctor had told Roderick that he needed to gain about ten pounds if he wanted to continue staying healthy. Trying to gain weight was no easy feat for him, due to a combination of previous health issues and genetics.

"Mom, I feel fine," Roderick said..

"I suppose you can go then," Monica consented.

Roderick adjusted his cap, kissed his mother good-bye, and began the five-block walk to the Lightning residence.

0-0-0-0-0

Val decided there was enough time to give her guests the grand tour of the condo. The first thing she did was introduce them to her parents: Jenna and Robert. Jenna had auburn hair and green eyes.  
Robert was a nicely-built, full-blooded Apache. His black hair was in a ponytail; he had a smile identical to Val's.

Val entertained them by showing off her pets: Sonic the hedgehog and Tails the albino skunk. Sonic raced around the living room inside a plastic hamster ball, smacking into things; Tails sniffed all the guests, wagging his tail at and licking everyone besides Lars.

"This is the _piece de resistance,_" said Val, as she lead them to the basement.

When the lights clicked on, they all gasped. Val's basement was really a sprawling indoor pool/hot tub complex. Sliding glass double doors opened onto the beach.

"Man, why should we even _bother _taking our bathing suits off?" Otto asked in a daze.

"Glad you like my humble abode." said Val.

"No wonder you hated to leave here," said Reggie.

"I gotta admit this is a nice house," Lars stated.

Roderick appeared in the room, followed by a stocky Hispanic boy wearing jeans, a plaid shirt layered over a white tank top, and a brown leather bracelet. He had curly black hair and an impish look about him.

"I didn't know you guys knew each other," said Twister, referring to Val and Roderick.

"Me and 'Lenci go way back," said Roderick. ('Lenci was his special nickname for her).

"Not as far back as her and me," the other boy cut in.

"This is Jesus Domingues," Val said. "Everyone calls him Chuy."

"Nice to meet you," said Reggie, shaking his hand.

"Who else is coming?" Roderick wondered aloud.

"Just you guys," said Val. "Come on. Let's get this party goin'!"


	4. Beach Party

**Reviewer Shout-Outs**

**Mike: **Glad you're enjoying it so far.

**NumbuhOneHoney07: **Thank you for reviewing this story, as well as "December Wishes." Val is a fun character to write about. I always like when people enjoy my pairing her with Twister.

* * *

Val got out her portable radio, tuning it to a classic rock station. Chuy flopped onto a blanket and produced a deck of cards from his back pocket. 

"Anybody know how to play poker?" he asked.

There were headshakes all around. The same thing happened when Chuy suggested blackjack and double deuce. Sighing defeatedly, he joined the others in a game of Frisbee.

"So how long have you known Chuy?" Otto asked.

"Since I was five," Val replied. "It was through Chuy I met Rod."

Chuy told his side of the story. "I'd just moved here. I missed all my friends. One day, my mom got sick of me moping around. She says, 'Jesus, I think you should go play with the little girl next door.' I said I didn't want to. Next day, Mom decides to go shopping, and she left me with our new neighbors: the Lightnings'."

"You were so shy around me. It was adorable," Val added, grinning at the memory.

"_Of course_ I was shy," said Chuy. "I didn't speak English at the time."

"He finally came around when my mom brought chocolate chip cookies into the equation." said Val.

"Almost every day afterward, I'd come over to play with Val," Chuy continued. "After six months, I finally learned English."

"We've been best friends ever since," said Val. "When I was eight, Chuy introduced me to his friend Roderick. Meeting him was different 'cause Rod isn't the least bit shy."

The three companions chuckled a bit. Val sent the Frisbee aloft again.

"So what kinda stuff is there to do here?" asked Otto.

"Well, you can swim in my pool, shoot hoops at the rec center, there's a video arcade a few miles away..." said Val, ticking off activities on her fingers. "A carnival's in town. And sometime this week, we _gotta_ take ya down to Friendship Fell."

"What's that?" asked Twister.

"Friendship Fell is this hill on the other side of town," said Roderick. "It's so steep that one wrong move will cause a nasty case of road rash. You wouldn't believe how many people have wiped out on it."

"Even Bucky Lasek couldn't make it to the bottom," said Chuy. "He tried to conquer the hill last summer. We all went up there to watch him."

Val shook her head solemnly. "It was ugly. I think he ended up breaking an arm in two places."

Reggie nervously shifted her weight to one leg. She knew this was going to be too tempting for her brother to pass up. And if Bucky Lasek couldn't do it...she hated to think what would happen to anybody else who took on that hill.

0-0-0-0-0

Night began to fall. Tiki torches were erected, creating a tropical vibe. Multi-colored lights winked from the top of a palm tree. Robert Lightning was manning the grill while his wife arranged the picnic table. Besides the chicken Robert was grilling, there were chips, fruit salad, two pitchers of Val's special recipe lemonade, and caramel/fudge brownies.

The kids were currently out on the water. The waves weren't all that strong, but Val still immensely enjoyed the challenge surfing at night presented.

"Hey, let's try a tandem ride," Chuy said to Val.

"I don't know..." she said, looking hesitant.

"Come on. You know I wouldn't let you fall."

Val slid off her board, paddling toward Chuy. Being the lightest, she would stand close to the nose. Chuy placed his hands on Val's hips to steady her, not catching Twister's glare. Twister thought he was ignoring him on purpose.  
Chuy was saved from a serious beating by Robert calling the kids for dinner. By following the tiki torches and Christmas lights, the gang found their way back to shore.

Soon, they were all gathered around the picnic table. Not much talk was exchanged at first, but conversation picked up with time. Otto asked Val when she would take them to Friendship Fell. She didn't give him a straight answer.

"Pass the chips and fruit salad, please," said Roderick.

"I see your appetite's back. Things can only get better from here, _amigo._" Val raised her cup. "_Salud_."

Chuy, Otto, Twister, Reggie, and Lars joined the toast.

Jenna and Robert brought a half-gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream out to the gang. Most of it was gone within forty-five minutes.

A rocking guitar riff blared from the radio, Quiet Riot's "Party All Night," an appropriate song for the occasion. Roderick, Val, Chuy, and Reggie began doing Rockette style kicks atop the picnic table. The radio station cut to a commercial break, which allowed everyone to catch their breath.

"_Ai, ai, ai, ai...!" _a group of male voices boomed.

The following was one of the strangest sights any of the group had ever seen. An entire mariachi band stood on the sand, in full regalia, belting out tunes just for them.

Val grabbed Chuy's hand. Chuy rested his hand on the small of Val's back; her hand took the same spot on him. They began to move across the sand: stepping and twirling, wiggling and prancing.  
Val and Chuy had obviously danced together many times. Each person seamlessly matched their partner's moves. Their skills were worthy of _Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights_.

Twister put on a brave face, but secretly sulked. Again Val had deserted him.

"I don't get it," he said more to himself than anyone else. "Val can see _him _any old time. Am I invisible or something?"

The band finished the song to a smattering of applause.

"Conga line!" screamed the guitar player.

The group took a serpentine trail around the yard. Even Val's parents joined the fun. Twister forgot all about Chuy and just had a good time.

Robert and Jenna forced a cutoff at ten o'clock. Val could have easily pulled off a much longer party, but didn't argue much. Otto, Reggie, and Lars were tired, so they went to bed.

Val gazed up at the starry sky, leaning back against Twister's chest. He loosely draped his arms around her waist.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Val breathed.

"Not as pretty as you," said Twister.

He looked down to see that she was asleep in his arms. He smiled, then planted a kiss on top of her head.


	5. Tour of the Town

**REVIEWER SHOUT-OUTS**

**ottomatic21: **That's a fantastic idea! That may be my next project.

**NumbuhOneHoney07:** Your wish is my command. ;-)

* * *

The sun rose over the sleeping form of a certain freckled-faced redhead. Twister groggily realized he no longer felt Val's comforting weight lying across his body. A look around revealed she hadn't rolled off him in order to sleep by herself. 

Twister sleepily staggered into the kitchen. Lars stood by the window, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. It goes without saying this wasn't the most appetizing thing to see first thing in the morning.

"Do you know what happened to Val?" Twister asked his brother.

"I ain't her secretary, but try looking on the fridge," said Lars.

Twister looked over his shoulder at the Post-it note on the refrigerator door. In small printing were the words: 'Umm, hanging out and stuff. I'll be back sometime this morning.'

"I wonder if that's code for 'making out behind my back'," Twister muttered angrily.

He slumped into a kitchen chair, propping his feet on the table.

"I think you're bein' kinda harsh...though I'd sure worry if I had a girl that fine," said Lars.

"You said she's ugly," said Twister.

Lars sat across from him. "Never mind what I said."

"I don't like that Jesus guy." Twister blurted out.

"You've known Val for...how many years?" Lars said slowly.

"About twelve," Twister replied.

"And you really think she'd cheat on you?" Lars asked.

Twister didn't have an answer for that. He didn't want to think Val would do something like that. Signs were there, though. She kept making excuses to be with Chuy and had been avoiding the younger Rodriguez for over a day. Should he wait it out? Should he just confront her and ask if she was fooling around?

Val entered the foyer, attempting to balance a large box from Krispy Kreme, her skateboard, and a hot cup of coffee. Lars moved in for the rescue, relieving Val of the doughtnuts.

"Nifty shorts," she quipped dryly.

Lars promptly dropped the box of doughnuts, grabbed a pair of ripped jeans from his suitcase, and scrambled into them.

Once breakfast was over, Val led the gang out to the garage. The kids laced up their blades or stepped onto their skateboards. Presumably, Val was about to conduct a grand tour of her hometown.

For the first several blocks, the majority of passersby were Latino. Val called out greetings as she pedaled past them. She eyed some bandanna-wearing teens warily.

"Want a little excitement?" one questioned. "Our goods are very reasonably priced."

Val ignored them. "Scarface wanna-be's," she said under her breath.

"Who were those guys?" Reggie wanted to know.

"The West L.A. Hombres," her cousin responded.

"The who?" said Otto.

"The West L.A. Hombres," Val repeated. "Gangbangers. They've been busted at least ten times. LAPD can't seem to make any charges stick. Witnesses tend to develop 'permanent amnesia.'"  
She made the throat-slicing gesture. "Every so often, they drive drunk past our subdivision, firing guns this way and that. Half the time, they do it in broad daylight. It makes me worry that one of those bullets is gonna end up in someone I care about."

Twister posed an obvious question. "If gangs are such a problem, why hasn't your family moved?"

"Dad likes being close to the reservation where he grew up, which is somewhere in the Anaheim area." said Val.

The gang rolled past a construction site. Val's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Hey, there's Chuy!" she screamed.

Chuy had exchanged his flannel shirt for a work shirt. There was a tool belt around his waist.  
Chuy had decided to spend his summer working at the site for extra money. It had been easy to get a job because his uncle was the foreman.

Val snuck up behind Chuy, covering his eyes with her hands.

"OW!" Chuy yelped as he pounded his thumb with a hammer.

"Poor baby," Val said in motherly tone. "Let me kiss it better."

After kissing Chuy's sore thumb, Val gave him a big hug, even though he was disgustingly sweaty.

"You know what I want," she whispered in his ear.

"Fine, just don't let my uncle catch you," Chuy said with a sigh.

"You're a real pal," Val said, patting his cheek.

She crossed the site to a ditch with a number of concrete pipes in the bottom of it. The pipes were about the size of the tunnel at Madtown. Val mounted her skateboard, kicked at the ground to get some speed, then proceeded to do loops inside the pipes.

A burly man who had a black walrus mustache appeared at the edge of the ditch. Swiftly and silently, Val caught up with the rest of the gang.

"Let's go." she said. "I'll see you, Chuy."

"_Adios,_" he said, going back to hammering nails.

0-0-0-0-0

Over the course of the day, Val showed them some of tourist places around town such as Mann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Rodeo Drive.

Otto began to complain about the heat. He suggested they head for Huntington Beach, which was sort of nearby. Val stomped on that idea.

"Huntington is for shoobies. There's no waves there. Venice Beach is usually infested, but the swells are worth it."

During their time at Venice Beach, Twister noticed lots of teenage boys admiring the way Val looked in her bathing suit. It made him upset when Val smiled and nodded "hello" to the other dudes.

_Maybe she doesn't like me anymore, _he thought sadly.

* * *

I know this chapter wasn't good, but I promise the next part will be better. I love seeing reviews, so keep clicking! 


	6. Take Me Out to the Ballgame

A/N: At first, I was getting a lot of reviews. I haven't been getting ANY lately. Please review; feedback is always appreciated.

* * *

Val checked her watch, slapped her forehead, and skated away without waiting for the others to catch up. She'd promised to be at Vandenack Motor Works by noon. Roderick's family had season tickets for the Dodgers, who were playing a home game against the Atlanta Braves. Roderick's dad had invited her to attend the game. 

She kicked at the ground to gather speed. Val felt pressure inside her chest, as happened when her mild asthma reared its head. There was no time to stop for breath. She could see the Vandenack's pickup truck on the horizon.

"Great," she panted. "They haven't left yet."

Val jumped off her skateboard when she reached her destination.

"Hi, 'Lenci," Roderick greeted.

"Hi," she replied, walking in the direction of the garage's bathroom. "I'll be right out."

Val slipped inside and closed the door. She peeled off her damp T-shirt, then slapped cold water on her face. She gripped onto the sides of the sink as her heart thumped painfully. Val retrieved her inhaler from the pocket of her shorts and took a couple of puffs. She hastily donned her Braves jersey with #23 on the back as well as the name Estrada and her Atlanta cap.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"You kids are in for a treat," said Mike Vandeack, Roderick's dad. "We're going to be in the front row."

"Sweet," said Val, punching a fist into her Louisville Slugger outfielder mitt.

"Let's get some hot dogs," Roderick suggested excitedly.

"We can't have a ball game without hot dogs," Mike agreed.

He joined the long line leading to the concession stand while Val and Roderick examined the souvenirs for sale. Roderick got a Dodgers pennant to hang on his bedroom wall; Val chose a Braves tomahawk.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

As anticipated, the game was a very exciting one. There were three Dodger homeruns in the first inning alone. Things looked bad for the Braves until Chipper Jones hit a double RBI. The game continued in this vein. The Braves came out on top, however.

Val screamed and cheered as the Braves trooped to the locker room. Her eyes locked with Johnny Estrada's for a moment. He drew his arm back, preparing to throw a ball into the stands. Val ran several paces backwards, her mitt raised. She tripped on one of the steps, falling hard onto her backside. She felt the sting of something smacking into her mitt.

"Wow, thanks!" she called, unsure if he could hear her.

Val got to her feet with the prized ball clutched carefully in her free hand. Roderick patted her on the back.

"That was some catch," he said.

A one-sided grin tugged at her lips. There was scribble of black ink on the ball. Only the letter "j" and "e" were legible. "He autographed it." she and Rod said together.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Back at home, she could hardly wait to tell the Rocket gang about her prize. Val stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that no one was smiling.

"Thanks for totally ditching us!" Reggie said angrily.

"Yeah, because of you, I spent all my money on a pay phone call to ask Lars to come get us," said Twister. "Then he got lost on the way home."

"You could have called my cell phone," said Val.

"We tried that. You never answered," said Otto.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Val stammered. "I-I put it on 'vibrate' so I could hear them broadcasting the game. I didn't feel it ring."

"Let me guess, you were with Chuy," said Twister.

Val shook her head.

Twister took a breath. "I'd still bet you were out with some other guy. Well, I've had enough of you whacking my heart like a pinata! As far as I'm concerned, it's over between us! And give me my tooth!"

Val dropped the necklace at his feet; Twister stormed into the house.


	7. Talking With Lars

A/N: I don't own the lyrics in this chapter.

* * *

Later that evening, Val sat outside her house, staring morosely out at the ocean. She couldn't believe what happened earlier was for real. She wished she could wake up and have it all be a dream. 

Lars, out for an evening stroll (read: to get away from his brother), paused within Val's earshot.

"Uh, you might wanna back up a little," he said. "The tide's coming in."

With so much going on in her head and heart, Val had barely noticed her feet beginning to feel wet.

"Is it okay if I sit down?" Lars asked.

Val nodded, not taking her eyes off the gently rolling water. Lars sat a yard or so away from her.

"I don't think I should be talking to you right now," said Val.

She made to stand up. Lars grabbed her forearm, pulling her back onto the sand.

"Ah-ah-ah, _chica_. You're gonna hear me out on this," he said. "Look, I know you must feel like hell, because you sure look like it."

"That's one way of putting it," Val said, an edge of toughness in her tone. "I've never felt so...so...alone and...confused...and messed-up in all my life. This week was supposed to be fun, and now Twist hates me. I'd never cheat on him."

"I hope you wouldn't 'cause I might have to hurt ya," said Lars with a half-grin. "Nothin' personal. I just gotta look out for my baby bro."

She gave him the famous Lightning stare, reducing her cat-shaped eyes to slits. Lars cleared his throat. He hoped his next plan of attack would work. He begin to sing.

_"...So you don't give a darn about me  
I'll never treat you bad  
I would never lift a hand to hurt you  
I'll try to make you glad_

_So you find me hard to handle  
I'm easier to hold..."_

"Why are you tormenting me?" Val asked miserably.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is: If my dork of a brother can't treat you right, I will," said Lars. "I know you guys just broke up and everything, but just think about it okay?"

* * *

A/N: Don't ya just love cliffhangers? To see what happens, please review. By the way, the song mentioned is Greg Allman's "I'm No Angel," a personal favorite of mine. 


	8. Hard Feelings

A/N: I'm sorry for not posting this sooner, but I was at camp all week.

* * *

_The next morning..._

Val came down to breakfast, doing her best to behave normally. She avoided Twister's eyes as she sat down with a leftover doughnut and a cup of coffee. Robert sat humming at the head of the table, sharpening a very large tomahawk.

"We should leave soon," Robert said to his daughter.

Val got the message quickly. She and Robert made a pilgrimage to the reservation in Anaheim, where Robert had been raised, at the same time every year. They visited during the Reservation Games, which was a cross between a family reunion and a field day.

Val picked up a bow and arrow, a canteen, and a tomahawk. Robert rose from his chair.

"I'll see you guys later," Val said to no one in particular.

"Bye-bye," Lars called as the door closed.

Twister scowled, scuffing his sneaker across the tile floor. "I bet she's going on another date. Otto, why didn't you tell me she was scared of commitment?"

"She's not scared of commitment," said Reggie. "You've been dating for close to four years."

"It's long distance," Twister said gloomily. "So she found someone else."

"That's not what happened!" Reggie's voice became defensive.

"Girls your age are catty with each other," Lars pointed out. "Maybe she feels safer having guy friends."

"I think she's a cheating tramp half-breed." said Twister.

Otto's jaw dropped. He clenched his hands into fists. He wanted to pound the living daylights out of his "best bro," not caring how much he got beat up in return.

Reggie tried to step between them. "It's a good thing Val didn't hear you say that. Twist, look, I know you're upset, but you can't take it out on Otto. He hasn't even--"

That was all she got out before Otto jumped Twister. The pair crashed to the lineoleum; they rolled about, punching and scratching each other. Lars stood up and calmly pulled them apart, making sure he had a firm grip on each boy.

"You guys need to go cool off," Lars said slowly, making sure he understood.

Otto and Twister began to stomp away.

"Cool off in seperate places!" Lars yelled after them.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

_Meanwhile..._

Val climbed out of her dad's Jeep. A group of people rushed to greet Robert and his daughter. There were hugs all around, plus a few tears.

Val spent a happy afternoon in the midst of a group of kids who were all different ages. She raced her horse around the wooded trails surrounding the picnic area, shot her bow and arrow, and threw tomahawks at an old tree stump.

Once it started to get dark, Robert lit a bonfire. Most crowded around it to roast marshamllows. Quietly, Val slipped away from the bustle of activity to sit by a small stream.

"I see you are troubled, young one," said the low voice of her dad's old friend Charlie Three Feathers.

"There's a lot going on in my head...and heart," Val explained.

She'd known Charlie so long it didn't feel odd to have him perfectly guess her mood after a mere thirty seconds. He was the reservation's answer to Tito.

"Your courtship is not going the way you planned," said Charlie Three Feathers. "Relationships rarely work the way you expect. I know you will be all right. You have the indestructible spirit of a true warrior. That can only bring good if you use that spirit wisely."


	9. Calling a Summit

_The next morning..._

Reggie and Sam went down to the indoor swimming pool to spend a little time together.

"Canonnballll!" Sam cried joyfully, springing off the diving board.

He entered the water with a large splash.

"Sammy," Reggie giggled, putting up her hands to shield herself.

"Ahhh, that was refreshing," said Sam, shaking water out of his hair.

He began to swim laps. After about forty-five minutes, he noticed Reggie was just treading water. She had a distant expression on her face. She pulled herself out of the pool and sat in one of the lounge chairs. Sam joined her. He put an arm around Reggie's shoulders.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked gently.

"Things just haven't been the same since Val and Twister broke up," said Reggie. "Val cries a lot and avoids him like the plague. I haven't seen her out on the water, and she's usually awake by now."

"Maybe she's sleeping in," Sam suggested.

"And then there's Twister," Reggie continued. "He pretends he doesn't care about her anymore, but he always looks so bummed. He's hardly been eating; Otto told me he hasn't been sleeping much either."

Sam nodded understandingly. Everything Reggie had said was pretty much true.

"Remember how much fun we all had when they were still together?" she asked.

"I sure do," said Sam. "Like the beach barbecue..."

"And the trip to Mount Baldy..." Reggie added.

"That New Year's party a few years back..."

Sam trailed off. The basement door opened. Twister ambled downstairs, wearing his swimming trunks with a towel draped over his shoulders. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and he yawned continually.

"What's on your mind?" Sam asked him.

"It--it's Val and Lars," said Twister, taking a seat in one of the other lounge chairs. "I just wanna puke whenever I see the two of them together. I want to get back together with her, but I'm afraid to ask. You know how her temper is."

Reggie snapped her fingers, the way she usually did when she had a good idea. "We could call an emergency meeting of our crew and hers to figure out the best way to make that happen."

She dashed upstairs to rouse everyone.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Within another half an hour, Lars, Chuy, Otto and Roderick had joined Reggie in the basement.

"Couldn't this wait until after breakfast?" Otto whined.

"Or at least until noon," Lars added. "I'm tired of seeing the little dork so bent, but did we have to get up this early?"

"Yes," Reggie said calmly. "I thought we could surprise Val with whatever we come up with."

All was silent for a moment while the two groups brainstormed.

"How about we make her breakfast in bed?" said Chuy.

Reggie asked for a show of hands to see who was capable of cooking. Only Roderick raised his hand.

"To be honest, I'm really much more skilled with cars," he said.

"Okaaay, nix the breakfast," said Sam. "Any other ideas?"

Lars spoke up. "She's always liked hearing Twister sing, but I don't know if getting them back together is worth waking the entire neighborhood."

"That's a great idea!" Twister cried. "Thanks, bro! I'll see you guys later. I gotta warm up my voice."

"Let us know if it works!" Reggie called after him. "If it doesn't, come back down and we can think some more."


	10. I Drive Myself Crazy

A/N: I don't own the lyrics to the song in this chapter.

* * *

Twister walked out the storm door and around the side of the house. Val had no bedroom window, so there went that plan. He scouted the surrounding area. On a beautiful, clear day such as this one, he should have no trouble finding her on or in the ocean. 

After a brief search, her saw her walking away from a shore break. Val stopped when she saw Twister. Swallowing hard, Twister began to sing.

"..._I lie awake  
I drive myself crazy thinking of you  
I made a mistake when I let you go, baby  
I drive myself crazy wanting you the way that I do_

_I was such a fool  
I couldn't see just how good you were to me  
You confessed your love and undying devotion  
I confessed a need to be free  
Now I'm left with a lot of pain  
I only have myself to blame..._

_...Why didn't I know how much I love you?"_

Twister stopped there, reaching into his pocket for the shark's tooth he'd taken after their fight. Val's eyes locked with his for a moment, slightly misty. She held her hand out; Twister returned his necklace to her. Then he put his gold chili pepper necklace back on. No words were needed to know peace was restored.

Elated, Twister sprinted back down to the basement. Roderick smiled knowingly.

"I knew 'Lenci would take you back," he said. "You know what? I wouldn't be surprised if you two end up married."

"Really?" said Twister.

"Sure." said Roderick. "You're good for each other."

Lars took a breath. "Thank God you worked this out. I couldn't stand how stupid you were being."

Twister let the remark slide. All that mattered was that he was happy again.

Val appeared in the doorway and invited everyone upstairs for breakfast. She caught Reggie by the arm as she cleared the top step.

"You planned that whole thing, didn't you, Reg?" Val asked.

"Yeah...kinda," Reggie admitted.

"I don't normally let people fool around with my problems," said Val. "I like to take care of things of my own. But I'm glad you stepped in this time. I'd hate to have lost Twister over a tiny misunderstanding."

"I didn't want to see that happen either," said Reggie.

Val went in the kitchen to set up a makeshift cereal bar. She sat between Otto and Twister as usual. The kids' loud talking woke up Val's parents.

"Um, let's go out," Chuy suggested, hastily dumping everyone's bowls in the sink.

"Where to?" asked Sam as they all collected their skateboards from the garage.

"Friendship Fell, baby!" said Val.

"All right!" Otto cheered.


	11. Friendship Fell

Shoobies clicked their cameras as the gang rode through the neighborhood's main drag. It was unusual to see a convoy of skateboarders if the X-Games or some other competition wasn't in town.

Many of them recognized Val. Last year, she had published a tell-all article in _Skate 'n Shred _magazine, _People, _and _Sports Illustrated _just to name a few. The article exposed Donnie Lightning for what he truly was: a shrimpy kid with a bad attitude and a huge ego, who didn't know an ollie from a kickflip. It had also featured pictures of Val in action. Of course Donnie wasn't pleased about the article, even though he'd retired from the film business after _Skate Wars VIII._

"Your devoted fans probably think we're your entourage," chuckled Chuy.

"Yeah, the Skate Rat Mafia," she added, which was a reference to Elvis Presley's hangers-on, who called themselves the Memphis Mafia.

After following Val through several more winding streets, the group found themselves hiking up a sizeable chunk of incline. It rivaled a couple of San Francisco's famous hills. Chuy let out a low whistle.

"Long way down," he remarked.

"Are we almost (wheeze) to the (pant) top?" asked Sam.

"It levels off in about ten more paces," said Roderick.

His calculations were correct.

"Whoa!" gasped the Ozone Streeters.

The way down was semi-vertical, even steeper than the California Incline. Sam gulped.

"See that pothole?" Chuy asked, pointing down. "That's exactly where Bucky Lasek crashed."

"So this is like scared ground," said Otto.

Val put her boad in front of her. "I call first ride!"

She was in her element as she began her descent. Nothing to be heard other than the roar of the board. She gathered speed; her hair whipped off her face.

"Look at her go!" Reggie said in awe.

Twister hopped on his own board, camera in hand. He didn't want to miss a second of this...

"Oh no, she's headed straight for the pothole!" Reggie yelled.

Sam screamed.

"'Lenci!" Roderick bellowed. "'Lenci! Look out!"

They held their breath. Val was now on collision course with the hole. Hitting it would definitely earn a trip to the ER. With reflexes born of her stunt work, Val smoothly steered around the pothole.

"Way awesome, Lightning Girl!" said Twister, giving her the thumbs-up.

Seconds later, the hill bottomed out. Val lost control, crashing to the concrete. She rolled over twice before coming to rest on her right side. Twister jumped off his skateboard to help her up. Using his body like a crutch, Val limped to the top of the hill.

"Oh man, are you okay?" Roderick asked worriedly.

Val's lower lip trembled. Her tailbone hurt a lot; there was a good amount of road rash on her lower back and arms. Her ribs were throbbing too.

"I think we better take her home," said Reggie.

Roderick stood on the other side of Twister, comforting his friend, as she had comforted him during his first battle with cancer and the relapse a few years ago.


	12. Paging Dr Rodriguez

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a while. I haven't had a review in almost a month. I'm accepting any feedback, so please click the blue button.

* * *

The gang made their way back to the Lightning home, Val leaning heavily against Twister. Her ankle felt sprained, or at the very least, twisted (no pun intended).

"Oh my God, look at you!" fretted Jenna when she saw her daughter's scratched face and slightly torn shirt. "What happened?"

"I had a skateboard accident," Val explained, rubbing her sore shoulder.

Jenna folded her arms. "Don't tell me you were at Friendship Fell. That place is--"

Her husband cut her off. "Jenna, I think we'd best take care of Valencia's wounds before we talk about punishing her."

Lars dutifully went to retrieve the first-aid kit the Lightnings kept by the door. Jenna ushered Val and Twister behind a Chinese-style folding screen. The other kids gathered outside it.

Twister cleaned Val's face, putting liquid bandages over the cuts. Now came the tricky part: gently tweezing the gravel out of her arms, palms, and lower back. He began work with the same quiet intensity he brought to editing his movies.

"You sure did a number on yourself," Lars commented, poking his head around the screen.

"Get lost!" Twister snapped. "I still haven't done her back."

The younger Rodriguez repositioned himself in an attempt to block off his brother's view. It didn't work, so Roderick helped by holding a towel over the opening.

Slowly, Val hiked up her shirt a couple of inches, just enough for Twister get at the gravel. She hissed in pain as the tweezers poked her. Several long minutes later, she felt Twister move away from her.

He stepped triumphantly around the screen. "The operation was a complete success," he reported.

"Thank you, sweetie," Val said as she emerged, pecking her boyfriend on the cheek.

"I haven't given you your prescription yet, Miss Lightning," said Twister. "You need to...relax on the patio, prefrerably with a large bowl of ice cream."

"Okay, doc," she said winking.

Then she and Twister disappeared up to the deck.


	13. Running of the Turtles

A/N: Okay, people, I may have to discontinue the fic if I don't get at least one review.

* * *

_Hours later..._

Val lifted her head and opened her eyes. Night had fallen; stars were winking at her from above. Next to her, Twister was sound asleep in the lawn chair. Val grabbed her boyfriend's wrist, pressing the button that would illuminate his watch. 1:20... Twister jerked away.

"It's okay," Val whispered. "I was just checking the time."

She released his wrist, then climbed onto the railing of the balcony.

"What are you doing?" Twister asked.

Val answered his question by vaulting over the railing. Horrorstruck, Twister ran forward. He leaned over, scanning for any sign of her in the dark. Then he saw Val smiling up at him.

"Come on down here!" she called. "Follow me."

Twister wondered vaguely what on earth Val was up to. Perhaps she wanted to show him the local makeout spots. He shook his head at that thought. Making outin some secluded location wasn't Val's style.

He performed the same vaulting motion Val had. Twister, unfortunately, hadn't done it properly. He realized that as his body painfully connected with the ground.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Val asked, bending next to him.

"Of course not," said Twister, brushing sand off his shirt. "I'm too manly to be dazed by such a short drop."

Val held his hand, chuckling slightly. "It's a good thing you're cute."

"What are we doing out here anyway?" Twister wanted to know.

Val pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh. Watch. Look at the sand."

Five minutes passed. Twister felt like one of the world's greatest living fools, staring at sand on a deserted beach. Val's expression was of breathless anticipation.

Suddenly, the sand surrounding their feet began to quiver. Tiny scaled heads jutted up from its depths.

"What are those?" yawned Twister.

"They're baby sea turtles, you goofball," said Val. "I come out here every year to watch them hatch."

The tiny reptiles began to crawl feverishly towards the ocean.

"Look at them go," Twister marveled.

They spent perhaps an hour watching the procession of turtles before going to the house to go to sleep.


	14. A Surprise Visit

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the the memory of my beloved kitten, Greggo, who died unexpectedly this weekend. A pet as loving and as special as you didn't deserve to die so soon.  
On a happier note, I'd like to thank Scott and Aaron for their very positive reviews. Keep 'em coming!

* * *

When Val and Twister entered the house, there were two extra people at the kitchen table; but they weren't Chuy and Roderick. The first person was a very large boy, about 6'2" and over 200 pounds: brown hair with blond tips stuck out from underneath his trucker hat. He was wearing faded Wrangler jeans and a black T-shirt with the Van Halen logo on it.  
The second person was a short girl who had curly chocolate brown hair cut in a pageboy. She had quite a few freckles. She was dressed in a lavendar zip-up sweatshirt, a pink t-shirt that said "Cheer" across the front, embroidered denim capris, and bubblegum pink Converse Chuck Taylors.

Val smiled at them. "Twister, meet my friends Kerri and Jacob."

Twister shook hands with the pair, who were apparently siblings. Kerri hugged Val.

"How come you weren't at the beach party a couple days ago?" Twister asked.

"We were in Arizona," Kerri explained.

"How was it?" Val wanted to know.

"Does 'Arizona' mean 'surface of the sun?'" said Jacob. "I had to throw out one of my shirts 'cause it got so rank."

"How'd the contest go?" his fellow skater asked.

"Contest?" said Twister, not up to speed on Val's friends.

"Jacob is a sponsored skater for Birdhouse." Val clarified.

"Did someone say 'Birdhouse?'" Otto poked his head around the kitchen doorway. "As in owned by Tony Hawk Birdhouse? As in the team with the best skaters on the planet?"

"Yep," said Jacob. "I did okay. I mean, I got fourth place."

"Speaking of Birdhouse, Jacob has great news for Val." said Kerri.

"How would you like to have this?" Jacob held up a hot-off-the-truck Birdhouse skateboard. "All you have to do is sign a few papers, and it's all yours. The bigwigs upstairs wanna put you on the team."

Val's eyes popped; a blush crept to her cheeks.

"Are you _serious_?" Otto asked. "You--you can't be. V-Val hasn't competed in over a year. How could this happen?"

Jacob shrugged. "You got me. I'm just the messenger."

* * *

Will Val accept the offer? Find out in Chapter 15, coming soon!


	15. In the Birdhouse?

_Later on..._

"Oh my God, oh my God, I'm so nervous!" said Val, wringing her hands as she paced her bedroom floor.

Some might call the room messy, but Val didn't mind a bit of clutter. Besides, she didn't have the time or energy to clean. Two dresser drawers full of clothes lay on the floor. She wrenched open her closet, flicking frantically through the hanging garments.

Reggie and Kerri, who were sitting cross-legged on Val's waterbed, exchanged looks. Neither of them had ever seen Val so anxious.

"I have nothing to wear!" Val groaned.

"It looks like you have plenty of clothes to me," said Kerri.

"Kerri, let's face facts. My wardrobe looks...looks...It looks like I robbed the skate shop in Venice Beach!" she retorted.

"You're not auditioning to be a model," said Kerri.

"Yeah, you're trying to get a sponsorship with Birdhouse." Reggie put in.

"But the thing is, I don't wanna go in there looking like a slob, but I wanna look credible." her cousin said.

"Once they see you skate, they'll know you're no poser," said Kerri.

"Yeah, you're Lightning Girl." said Reggie. "After that tell-all article you put out, everyone knows what I knew when we were younger. You're an awesome skater. There's no way they won't pick you."

She held her chin as she examined the devastation that was the floor. Kerri held up a pair of khaki cargo pants; Reggie found a nice tank top with a Chinese symbol on it. Then Kerri handed Val one of those trendy silicon bracelets; this one said: Pride.

"What about my feet?" asked Val, looking down at her scuffed black Vans.

"Keep those shoes on," Kerri advised. "They might ask you to demo your style."

She and Reggie left so Val could change. Val opened her door a second later. A red backpack containing her gear dangled from one shoulder, her skateboard tucked under one arm.

"Let's go," said Jacob, who had been waiting in the hall.

The gang wished Val good luck as she left. They all wouldn't fit in Jacob's Blazer, but Reggie,Otto, and Kerri.were going, along with Twister. Twister had insisted on tagging along so he could document the event.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

During the drive, Val gazed out the window with a tense expression on her face. Twister placed a hand over hers in a reassuring manner. Twenty minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of a building that resembled a self-storage place.

Jacob smacked Val on the leg, not especially hard. "Yo! We're here! Outta the truck, Shorty."

She growled under her breath. Jacob knew she hated that nickname, but he still used it. Getting herself together, she said, "I'm coming, Garfield."

She had nicknamed him that because he used to wear a clingy orange muscle shirt every day, which didn't complement his pudginess.

He scowled, then sighed. "Okay, I guess I had that coming." He pointed to Otto, Reggie, and Kerri. "All of you wait in the lobby for us."

"What about me?" Twister asked.

"You stay with them." said Jacob. "Val, let's go see Timmy."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Ah, this must be the new blood," said Timmy, a rumpled-looking man with brown hair.

"Yes," Val answered shyly.

"Your parents have already signed paperwork and so forth if you decide to join." Timmy began."There's no competing unless you're wearing a Birdhouse sticker on your helmet. And of course, I'll need to be able to get in touch 24/7 for contests, promos, public appearances, and practices. You got that?"

"Yes, sir," Val saluted.

"The last step of joining is very simple. Allow Jacob to explain."

Jacob picked a stopwatch off the desk. "You have 90 seconds to do a street run."

0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0

Val balanced her board on the edge of the park's indoor bowl. She took slow, deep breaths to calm herself. Normally, she never got nervous, but she had a lot on the line today.

"Go!" Jacob called,starting the stopwatch.

Swiftly, Val dropped in and began to carve to bowl. She skated to the rail, performing a 50-50 grind. Then she went across the course to launch off a wedge ramp to do a sit 360. She ollie'd over a rail, did a kickflip, then did a stalefish on the halfpipe. Her last trick was an invert, her signature move, one that few girls had the upper-body strength to pull off.

"Time's up!" said Jacob.

Val bent over to catch her breath, while her friends applauded from the sidelines. Timmy approached Val. He put a friendly arm around her shoulders.

"That was some amazing skating, young lady." he said.

"Thanks, Timmy." Val smiled.

"Welcome to the team," said Timmy as he slapped a Birdhouse sticker on her helmet.


	16. Party All Night

A/N: Thanks to ottomatic21 and NumbuhOneHoney07 for their nice reviews. You guys rock! Keep reading and replying, folks.

* * *

Out in the parking lot, Twister grabbed Val under arms and effortlessly hoisted her into the air. He spun around a couple of times. Val laughed as he did so. She felt lighter and happier than she had all week. Everything was back to normal. 

"Let's get going," said Jacob,taking his car key out of his pocket.

"Okay," Val grudingly agreed. To Twister, she added, "Put me down, hon."

Twister carefully lowered her onto the pavement.

"I'll get your junk," he offered, picking up her backpack and skateboard. "I bet you're tired."

Otto made a gagging face behind Twister's back. Reggie gave him a sharp elbow to the ribs.

"Jacob, let's go round up the rest of our friends," Val suggested as she fastened her seatbelt. "I'm in the mood to par-tay!"

"Sure," said Jacob, putting the car in gear.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

They first stopped at Val's house so she and Reggie could change into different clothes. Reggie put on a mint-green spaghetti-strap tank, shorts, and matching green flip-flops. Val put on a form-fitting magenta tee that bore the message "Dancing Queen" in silver letters, dark jeans, and clear glitter flip-flops. Both smeared a touch of body glitter on their faces.

Val called up Chuy and Roderick to share the good news. Then she laid out the plan for the evening: dancing at a local teen dance club called Club Alien, followed by an ice-cream cone from Friendly's.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

At Club Alien, the kids had to wait quite a long time before they were able to get inside. The lobby featured butterfly chairs, thick smoke from a fog machine, and glow-in-the dark abstract art on the walls. Above their heads was a mural of the solar system.

"Wow, look at this place!" Roderick exclaimed.

"Isn't it great?" Val asked, buying each member of her party a glow necklace from a nearby vendor.

She grabbed Twister's hand and pulled him onto the crowded dance floor, over which a mirror ball hung. They began to dance, which was difficult due to the mass of people.

During the two hours they spent at the club, Val managed to dance with every male in her group at least three times. Of course, Twister got the honor of receiving every slow dance, as well as the last dance of the evening.

00-0-0-0-0-0

The teens made their way up the street toward the nearest Friendly's. Val and Reggie were carrying their shoes rather than wearing them because of how badly their feet had been chafed after dancing in them. They spent a good part of the evening at Friendly's in fits of sugar-induced laughter.

It had been a perfect day, Val thought as she strolled home hand-in-hand with Twister.


	17. Headlines

A/N: Apologies for the lack of updates. Please read and review.

* * *

RIIIING! RIIING! RIIING!

Val opened her eyes and shut them until her surroundings came into focus. The glowing red numbers on her alarm clock announced the time was 6:32.

_'Probably a wrong number,' _she thought as she reached for the receiver.

"Hello?" she croaked.

"It's Jacob," said the deep voice on the other end. "What's up, Valie?"

"Not me, I can tell you that much. Is there any reason you're calling this early?"

"Didn't Timmy call you last night?" asked Jacob."There's a team practice at 7:00."

"I didn't know," Val admitted. "I turned my phone off while we were outand I guess I forgot to check my voice mail."

"Well, don't take too long getting ready. My car's running."

Val hung up the phone, then tiredly hauled herself out of bed. She ran a brush through her hair so it would stay tucked behind her ears and dressed.

At the Birdhouse facility, the team worked their moves to the beat of loud, fast music that played from the sound system. They practiced for an hour, took a fifteen minute water break, then practiced an additional hour.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"God, I'm exhausted," Val groaned at home.

She slowly worked her way through a stack of pancakes. The headline on the morning sports page caught her attention.

**LOCAL TEEN SCORES SPONSORSHIP**

**Valencia Lightning, 15, a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, has broken the gender barrier that had been firmly in place since the birth of sponsored skateboarding. Valencia signed a contract yesterday to skate with the well-known franchise, Birdhouse, which is owned by the legendary Tony Hawk.  
"I have a good feeling," Hawk said in a phone interview. "Val's a remarkably talented girl."  
Valencia's background in the sport contains five years of working as stunt double for retired child star Donnie Lightning, plus wins at several regional contests.**

The article was followed bysome photos taken during earlier stages of Val's career.


End file.
